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Baton Rouge, La. - Baton Rouge General and its Regional Burn Center conducted a press conference today at noon at its Mid City campus to update the public on the status of its four patients injured in the Gulf explosion that occurred yesterday morning.

Dr. Flip Roberts, Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. Jeffrey Littleton, Burn Surgeon and Chair of the Department of Surgery, provided brief updates on behalf of the Burn Center team. The two physicians expressed heartfelt concerns for our patients, those who remain missing, as well as their loved ones. The physicians thanked the community, our nation, and those around the world who have extended an outpouring of prayers, acts of kindness and support.

The General's Burn Center team continues to care for four patients, all from the Philippines, employed by Grand Isle Shipyard, who arrived yesterday afternoon as a result of the explosion. The team consists of physician specialists, nurses, physical and respiratory therapists, social workers, and pastoral counselors and is focused on doing everything possible to restore these patients' health. Two patients remain in critical condition and two patients are in serious condition, all with major burns.

Baton Rouge General and Grand Isle Shipyard are working closely to communicate with the families who are located in the Philippines.

The 48 -72 hours following any major burn injury is a critical time period, and the clinical focus surrounds stabilizing airways, replacing fluids due to the escape of fluids from the wounded areas, and treating burn wounds with antibacterial dressings to combat infection.

Baton Rouge General will provide updates online at www.brgeneral.org and at facebook/batonrougegeneral. Another press conference will be held tomorrow at 10:00 am with further updates. The conference will be held on the Mid City campus at the corner of North Boulevard and South Acadian.

Anyone attempting to locate a loved one who may have been a victim of yesterday's incident can contact Black Elk Energy's hotline at (281) 779-8459. Grand Isle Shipyard can be contacted at (985) 475-5238.

About Baton Rouge General Medical Center Burn Center

Baton Rouge General's Regional Burn Center opened in July of 1970, providing a unique service dedicated to care and treatment of burn victims in the Gulf Coast region. It was the first designated burn facility in Louisiana, 14th in the nation, and is one of only 125 specialized burn centers in the U.S. The Burn Center cares for more than 3,000 adults and children each year suffering from flame, scald, electrical, chemical and other burn-related injuries and continues to achieve the highest standards for providing exceptional inpatient and outpatient care, rehabilitation and support services.

Baton Rouge General Medical Center is a full-service community hospital, with 544 licensed beds between two campuses. As the first hospital in Baton Rouge, opening its doors in 1900, Baton Rouge General has a long history of groundbreaking milestones, as well as providing the Greater Baton Rouge community with high quality healthcare for generations.

Baton Rouge General is affiliated with and also serves as a satellite campus of Tulane University School of Medicine. In addition to serving as a satellite campus for Tulane medical students in the LEAD (Leadership, Education, Advocacy and Discovery) Academy program, Baton Rouge General also offers a Family Medicine Residency Program, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Sports Medicine Fellowship Program, School of Nursing and School of Radiologic Technology. Baton Rouge General, an accredited teaching hospital since 1991, is committed to exceptional medical education and serves a diverse population that is representative of the types of patients, injuries, illnesses and healthcare needs most frequently seen by physicians in private practice.